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Cute design work, and these bunnies seem like a fun bunch! They're just like us! Or maybe they represent what we wish we could be? Oh, to be a rabbit living in a carrot house... darn building codes and all that... 

Yooo, it's wild how you managed to fit so many functional-looking tools and attachments onto this mech! And on top of all that... it's just so... shiny ✨

This made me realize how rare it is to see a proper nighttime scene done in picoCAD, but the way you made it look so good with your color choices here could kick off a trend! Quite an ominous-looking clocktower design, too. It's as if it's watchfully judging humanity while counting down to doomsday...😱🕰️

Wow, yeah, I have to say this graphic, cel-shaded type look is quite impactful and unique among picoCAD renders I've seen. Would definitely be interested in seeing how far you could push this style in your future work! Nice proportions on the model, as well, and the wooden posts tie it all together. Keep it up!

This is a remarkable example of not just technical skill, but also visual communication. Take, for example, the rack of potted plants. There is so little to work with in terms of pixel resolution that it seems like it would be impossible to convey what it's supposed to be -- and yet it's readily apparent at a glance. The rest of the objects also have this kind of elegant simplicity, and you managed to use every shape primitive in a way that they all fit well together. Great job!

This is an intriguing update on your bungalow from the first picoCAD jam. Essentially the same subject, but a different take stylistically. I like how the house is really set in its environment. Also, the way you handled the front and rear porch areas is so clean, and the bushes are a nice touch!

Awesome, every part of it looks so solid and sturdy! This is kinda random, but it reminded me slightly of the launch platform in the final stage of Time Crisis 2 (you can see it in the first few seconds of this video -- even more random, but looking that up just now made me realize there are some weird parallels between the storyline of that game and the real world now -- a megalomaniac billionaire creating a network of satellites called StarLine as a front for a world domination scheme!?... anyway, I digress). Really nice model that would look quite cool in a game setting!

Great scene with a mix of bold macro features and nice little details like the shide hanging over the entryway and the flowers all around. The decision to render the ishidoro as 2-way billboard sprites alongside all the solid models is such an unexpected choice, but works well!

At first I was like, is that the flag of Peru? Then I saw that you managed to do this without textures, which is impressive. Cool idea, and looks neat with the outlines!

Interesting scene! Am I understanding right that the crane is swinging a wrecking ball of some sort? For me, the textures really capture that nostalgic retro game look in the best of ways!

Wow, pro work all around, but especially impressed by how you handled the audience in the stands!

I like the stylization with the off-kilter angles on the door, windows, etc. and the modeling work is on point! I feel like the leg joints might be a little too high up to walk comfortably, but I'm no expert on enchanted hut anatomy, so I guess I can't say for sure 😄

Great work staying true to the look and scale with things like the visible seams held together with icing, the door sticking out as a separate piece, and the sugar coating on the gumdrops. This also gives me the impression of viewing a gingerbread house inside a snow globe, which is an interesting combo to think about.

Aw, it is indeed cozy! The thick outlines on the animals makes them pop nicely, and the floral and wood patterns are quite aesthetic.

Cool scene! I like the idea of a little island people go to to buy fish. How does one get inside the hut, though? 🤔

Nice modelling given the limitation and the texture work ties everything together cohesively!

I had to double-take seeing how "empty" the texture image is -- I am amazed by how you managed to do so much with such simple shapes! Very nice little scene with several areas of interest.

Fun take on the theme, the Engineer would be proud! 🔧

Wow, lots of great details here, and the scene looks properly weathered and worn, which can be hard to pull off with so few pixels/polys to work with! You really paid attention to all the elements that would make this a functioning shop, including the electrical and HVAC, and the contrast between the storefront and "back alley" areas is well-observed!

I looked up the real-life monument, and I have to say this is a faithful low-poly/low-rez representation! I think you handled stylizing the proportions in a way that captures the main features well. Both your version and the original remind me a bit of chess pieces.

I like this minimalist aesthetic! Very effectively communicates the idea of "building" with as few polys as possible.

Whoa, this is great, I really feel like I'm transported into that little word! Whoever's living there must be happy to be getting a cargo shipment that day. So many nice details like the shark and the life preservers.  Also, diggin' that hardware setup!

Nice idea, and I feel like you've put some personality into these objects! I get the sense the building is nervous because of how the crane towers over it so imposingly, but the crane's just doing its job. 😄

Thank you for your detailed thoughts on both tracks! It's cool you think this would work well for a puzzle game and that my idea for an interactive/adaptive soundtrack made sense.

I just checked out some gameplay footage of Electroplankton and wow! How had I not heard of this before!? Very cool game and it's an honor to have my work compared to it. Also, I read a little of the game's Wikipedia page and this part stood out to me: "Nintendo president Satoru Iwata explained that the unusual reason why director Toshio Iwai's name appears directly on the game's packaging is because he alone had created it." -- hmm, quite interesting for a DS game! As someone who likes reading about game development and experimental music and art, I'll definitely be looking up more info on Iwai and his work!

Thanks again for your review!

Thank you! I'm still learning and experimenting when it comes to making music, but it's encouraging to know certain feelings are coming through to the listener!

Hey, glad you enjoyed it! And thank you for mentioning the Tempest 2000 soundtrack -- I was not familiar, but listened to some of it just now and there's some banger tracks in there! Definitely a cool piece of techno music history!

Also, what you said about the cover art made me think it might indeed be interesting to work backwards by starting with music and a cover and *then* making the game 💡

Pseudo-retro is a great way to describe what I was trying to do! Thank you so much!

It's interesting to learn which track people liked more! Thanks for listening!

Hey, I appreciate the feedback! I agree, what I was trying to do is perhaps a bit tricky to convey musically, and I probably didn't quite hit the mark. Also, I did clip a bit intentionally to get a strained strained lo-fi-ish sound, but I might have went overboard in places. 😂

This track was a great ride! Started off with a really dreamy feel. Really liked the opening buildup going into around the 1-minute mark and subsequent breakdown and guitar solo, and then again building up in the final third to the end where it was really flying. I appreciated the judicious use of stereo and EQ; was nice to listen to on headphones as I had the impression there was always something new going on with the dynamics throughout. Also very cool mix of instruments -- well-timed drum fills and that "sparkly" xylophone or whatever that was was a nice touch. Also the introduction of the twangy guitar in the second half was an unexpected but welcome twist. There was something a bit discordant about the piano in the opening, but I'm not sure why -- maybe the color of instrument itself wasn't quite meshing with the others or the the notes were actually off-key -- pardon my ignorance, I'm still pretty new to music theory. It could've been intentional though, as a similar thing was happening with the twangy guitar later, but I felt like it worked better there. That's just a small thing, though. Overall, great work -- you put a lot of care into crafting this and it shows!

Really like the jazzy style and tone of this! Very fun to have a story about saving the world that doesn't take itself too seriously. I could imagine the waltz scene being very humorous and tense. Quite an interesting choice to make such a sax-focused soundtrack, as well -- I enjoyed the saxophone composition throughout, but I could have used a little more variety in the dynamics of that instrument in some places (volume, etc.), to spice things up. Also more rhythmic variation in the percussion within each track would have been nice, although I understand you might have wanted to keep it fairly consistent to be more loop-able, which is understandable. "Limited Time Spy" nicely brought together the themes introduced earlier. Overall, the tracks all work well together and have a nice flow! 🎷

Right from the opening grace notes I was immediately reminded of some Studio Ghibli soundtracks, and I mean that in the best way possible. I think you succeeded in creating an aural landscape that gave the impression of ancient traditions and mysteries being unearthed. I could picture in my mind quaint villages in a lush pastoral setting dotted with giant arcane ruins. The heroes, plucked from their simple lives, hesitant, hapless, yet able to rise to the occasion when tradition and crisis collide. The climactic rise of the brass instruments near the end of the last track was so nice. Absolute pro-level work! 💯

Ooh, very nice compositions! I liked the overall feel of the tracks, they reminded me quite a bit of music I often hear accompanying silent films with dramatic tonal shifts and instrumentation that could be achieved with a small group of musicians following along what's happening on-screen.

Here's some thoughts on individual tracks:

Time Laboratory
The first half of this with the piano and cello was quite pleasant and I definitely got a "mustache-twirling villain" vibe from the wind instrument coming in the second half!

Everything's Slowing Down
I think that accordion-like instrument was a very good choice for expressing the time slowing down part -- I was picturing in my mind something like a circus performance where time suddenly slows down when the acrobats are in mid-flight. I actually think it could have potentially been pushed even slower, to really contrast with the more "normal" time step!

Don't Get Clocked!
Very interesting choice with the mysterious, almost middle-eastern-sounding opening transitioning into a classic boss fight type of song. I think you succeeded in creating a memorable theme for the villain here.

Overall, you definitely take the listener/player on a journey. The clock sounds are incorporated well throughout and I think you evoke the theme very well. Based on the storyline you wrote, I could definitely see this being the soundtrack of a game that incorporates stylistic throwbacks to 1920's sci-fi tropes with the laboratory setting (think Metropolis or The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). Great job!

Greetings @thatgoditchsenpai! Ok, now it's my turn to apologize for being late (assuming you even remember my original message, it was so long ago 😆). I made a note to reply to you after I had a chance to read up on the concepts you mentioned when you responded to me. They were a bit over my head, but I really appreciate you taking the time to educate me a on baroque and classical music composition -- I am trying to learn more about this kind of stuff, and this was useful information! 👍

Anyway, it kept slipping my mind, but now that it's the end of the year I'm trying to clear my to-do list, so here I am!

As for your question about what I meant by the music "carrying" me... well, it's hard for me to put into words. Like I said, I'm probably not as versed in music theory and terminology as you. However, I was listening to this performance of Monteverdi's "Vespers of 1610," recently, and I think it captures the experience that I'm talking about. As I listen to it, I have a constant sense that the music is moving "towards" something... the tempo slows down, it speeds up, it crescendos, it drops to almost silent. There are several different musical "ideas" being explored, it doesn't stick with the same pattern for too long, and yet there's still a sense of unity. I know there are probably better terms to articulate these concepts, but as someone listening to it, I'm mostly going by my feeling, and to me it feels like the music is "carrying" me forward. I hope that makes sense, but I understand if it's a little vague. 😄

Another thing I want to mention is that I think it would help the listenability of your pieces greatly if you switched to a different type of software for the instrumentation. I know maybe you are used to notation software, so that's what you have available, but this is probably not the best for final output. There are good free programs out there (I use LMMS), but they might require a different workflow than what you're used to. It's worth trying new things, though!

Anyway, if you have any more questions you can feel free to message me. Also, I noticed you didn't participate in the previous OST Composing Jam -- do you think you will make anything for the one that is currently ongoing (OST Composing Jam #5)? It would be cool to see you submit something if you have time! (But no pressure -- there's always next time!)🎵

Oh, and I currently post my stuff on my SoundCloud, but music production is still very much a hobby for me, and I still have a lot to learn. I am glad for the opportunity to discuss these kinds of things with other musicians, beginners and professionals alike! It looks like you are well on your way in your own musical journey, and I wish you the best of luck! Take care!  

I don't know much about Virtual Boy hardware, but it does seem to be capable of pumping out some groovy tunes in the right hands, and you used it well! A lot of chiptune music can sound muddy and indistinct when it isn't composed effectively, but you gave the tracks memorable melodies and layered the harmony and bass sounds in that tried and true synthwave fashion that's so easy on the ears. The pulsing rhythm made a big difference, as well, and the drums sound surprisingly good. The main theme got a tad repetitive for me by the end, but I think that's just a product of listening to it on its own -- if it were in-game during an arcade racing segment, as you say, I probably wouldn't notice, and in fact it might be preferable that it stays relatively consistent.

Very nice work and awesome effort breathing life into a less-commonly used sound chip!

I appreciate that you brought some funk and soul style to the cyberpunk theme -- the effect is very cool! All the tracks are good enough to be listened to on their own, and it's actually hard to pick a favorite. But shout out to the flute solo in "Get a move on," the syncopated rhythms in "Reflection" and the general epic buildup in "Mission Complete." Great basslines throughout. The mixing is overall quite solid, but a couple of things that seemed out of place for me were the snapping sample in "Press start," the bell in "Get a move on," and the record scratch (?) at the end of "Reflection" -- they all work well in the tracks, but in my opinion they stand out a bit too much in the mix and could have been integrated more. That's a fairly minor nitpick, though -- you have a lot of unique elements in there that are working together just right.

Really awesome OST. I'd love to play the game that has these as backing tracks; mad vibes, for days! Great work!

This is a very chill track, and yet I think it communicates a sense of uncertainty and mystery, which fits with your story about waking up with organs replaced by robotic parts (that would be... unsettling, to say the least 😨... or would it be an improvement? 🤔). I think it would work in-game as you described, looping as the player attempts to piece together how they got there, perhaps as they're presented with some clues and world-building moments.

Nice use of choir elements along with classic synthesizer sounds. The mixing seems good and has enough variation to keep it interesting. I like that you added some filters and noise so it doesn't sound too "clean" and digital, which gels with the cyberpunk aesthetic.

Overall, this reads to me as a quietly confident piece that knows what is wants to be and executes on that vision, which is cool to see. Great job!

Hey, you got some really interesting sounds and composition here! I liked the wild contrast between the electronic beeps and boops and the ethereal choir voices! The whole piece feels like a mix of things from different sources that came together in a way where they are forced to get along, and it's very compelling!

One aspect that I think could use some reworking is that buzzy, grindy synth that is paired with the lead instrument at the beginning. In my opinion it should have faded out after the intro and then been used sparingly throughout. The way it is now where it basically continues unabated throughout the piece I'd say does a disservice to the other elements which are harder to hear because of it. I think I understand what you were going for, using it to create a base sound layer, but I think this could have been achieved another way, like with some manipulated white noise, for example.

This track was quite a ride, though, and I enjoyed the intentionally rough edges which gave it a cool analog, but techy feel, like a recording that's been dubbed over and regenerated multiple times over decades, picking up musical elements along the way. It's a very unique take on the cyberpunk theme -- great work!

Wow, very interesting concept to make the track about the theme of "thirst" as it relates to cyberpunk. I think you managed to capture it well with these layered sounds that call to mind what could be a domestic setting in a hopeless future world that's not so different from our own. In the beginning I could sense the ennui, which then gave way to alienation, and finally disaffecting dread. The various recorded sounds had an oddly satisfying feeling to them. All the stereo panning effects made this very cool to listen to on headphones -- there were some parts when it even seemed like the audio was originating inside my head! 😵‍💫😆

A short, but surreal and finely-crafted aural experience -- great work!

That's quite a story you came up with, and I'm here for it! The overall vibe felt oddly nostalgic for me, like I was listening to some soundtrack I remembered from years ago, but of course not really (maybe it's an implanted memory -- very cyberpunk 😋). It has that "adventure in a techno future world" sound, for sure. 

The tracks have different feels to them and yet all form a cohesive whole. I think I could hear some repeated motifs in there -- I actually think you could have leaned into that more and made some of those reprisals even more explicit, especially at the end (maybe they were in there and I just wasn't listening carefully enough, in which case, ignore that suggestion).

The title track and "Countdown" did a good job of setting the beginning and ending tones, respectively. I think my other favorite track was "Bastion" -- it really gave the impression that some cool stuff was going down, story-wise. "Neon Streaks" has a unique style and I like how it slowed down at the end. I liked "Metro," too, but I will say that high-pitched buzzy instrument was slightly grating to listen to for the whole song. Maybe it just needed a little work to "settle" it into the mix a little more.

Very cool work, overall, though. Nice job! NVIDIA Corp. should be proud to be only one letter away from this rad OST!